Nark capensis
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Systematics | ||||||||||||
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Scientific name | ||||||||||||
Nark capensis | ||||||||||||
( Gmelin , 1789) |
Narke capensis is a small ray from the family of sleeper rays(Narkidae), which occurs on the coast of South Africa from the Cape of Good Hope to KwaZulu-Natal . Reports of occurrences on the coasts of Namibia, Mozambique and Madagascar are uncertain.
features
Narke capensis becomes a maximum of 38 centimeters long. The body disc is almost circular, the tail is broad and flat. On the back side, the fish are yellowish or green-brown in color. The edges of the body disc are slightly darker, sometimes with some darker spots, stripes, or spots. The ventral side of Narke capensis is yellowish or cream-colored, its edges are brownish. The small eyes are far in front and together with the larger injection holes are close together. The nose curtains are short. There are 14 to 16 rows of teeth in each jaw. The teeth are small and triangular. The only dorsal fin is rounded and is located above the rear of the pelvic fins. The caudal fin is much larger than the dorsal fin and also rounded. The pelvic fins are wide and long. Its outer edge is straight. The clasps of the males reach somewhat over the rear edge of the pelvic fins.
Narke capensis can be distinguished from other species of the genus Narke by the color of the back. Narke capensis can be distinguished from Electrolux addisoni and Heteronarce garmani , which are also found on the South African coast, by their single dorsal fin; the two other species of sleeper ray have two dorsal fins.
Way of life
Narke capensis lives close to the coast on the continental shelf at depths of 20 to 115 meters, possibly also to depths of 180 meters. The rays feed on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, especially bristle worms . The electric shock of the animals is relatively strong and is felt by humans as painful.
Systematics
The ray species was first scientifically described in 1789 by the German zoologist Johann Friedrich Gmelin as Raja capensis . As Terra typica which was the Cape of Good Hope given. Today the species belongs to the genus Narke , which was introduced in 1826 by the German zoologist Johann Jakob Kaup .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Last, PR, White, WT, Carvalho, MR, Séret, B., Stehmann, M. & Naylor, GJP Rays of the World. CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne. ISBN 9780643109131 . Page 179.
- ↑ Narke in the Catalog of Fishes (English)
Web links
- Narke capensis on Fishbase.org (English)